Department for Transport

Aviation: Compensation

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to replace EU Regulation EC 261/2004 on compensation and assistance to airline passengers with a similar UK compensation system after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr John Hayes: The Government is considering the impacts of the decision to leave the European Union, including future arrangements for existing legislation. Until the UK leaves, EU law continues to apply, so we continue to comply with the existing directives and regulations, such as the common rules on compensation and assistance under Regulation (EC) 261/2004.

Transport: Infrastructure

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many business cases for infrastructure projects submitted in previous years by his Department were accepted in the 2015-16 financial year in each region; and what the (a) value was of (i) public and (ii) private funds allocated to those projects in total in each region and (b) average length of time taken was for the Department to accept those cases.

Mr John Hayes: The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) provides expertise, practical help and independent assurance of major projects, working with all partners in infrastructure and major projects (government departments, project teams, HMT, Cabinet Office, and the private sector). The remit of the IPA does not include providing formal approval and as such departments do not submit business cases to the IPA for approval. The IPA publish an annual comprehensive forward-looking assessment of the current and planned investment in UK economic infrastructure across both the public and private sectors (The National Infrastructure Pipeline). This document contains financial information of the level of public and private infrastructure investment broken down by region currently in development and planned to 2021 and beyond. The Spring 2016 update can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-infrastructure-pipeline-2016.

Transport: Infrastructure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to fund transport infrastructure projects that are completely or partly funded by EU programmes after the UK leaves the EU.

Andrew Jones: The Department for Transport has responsibility for UK involvement in the transport element of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the Trans European Transport Network programme (TEN-T). These schemes have provided co-funding for a number of public and private sector transport infrastructure projects. On 13th August my Right Honourable Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer made an announcement[1], outlining the Government position on EU funding schemes, which included a commitment to provide continuity of funding for UK participants in EU programmes. In line with that announcement, my Department will work closely with HM Treasury and concerned stakeholders to review EU funding schemes in the round, to ensure that any ongoing funding commitments best serve the UK’s national interest, while ensuring appropriate investor certainty.  [1] The following is a link to the announcement:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-philip-hammond-guarantees-eu-funding-beyond-date-uk-leaves-the-eu

Belfast International Airport

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of expanding Heathrow Airport on Belfast International's ability to establish its own direct international connections.

Mr John Hayes: The Government values the vital contribution airports right across the UK make to the growth of regional and local economies, and recognises that air connectivity between areas of the UK and beyond is very important. The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015 and is considering all of the evidence very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work before an announcement on its preference.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess the potential merits of introducing more incentives to encourage motorists to use cleaner fuels and public transport.

Mr John Hayes: The Department for Transport assesses a number of different fuels in terms of a range of environmental impacts including air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. A number of initiatives are underway to encourage cleaner, lower carbon fuels. This Government is investing over £600 million in this Parliament in addition, to a more favorable tax regime towards less polluting vehicles to ensure that almost all cars and vans are zero emission vehicles by 2050. The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) has supported a market for low carbon fuels and delivered significant greenhouse gas emissions savings. In 2014/15 these savings were equivalent to taking 1.3 million cars off the road. We have been working with industry and others on proposals to increase the supply of low carbon fuels in line with our UK carbon budget targets. We plan to consult on proposed changes to the RTFO scheme later this year. The Government will continue to promote public transport choices, supporting the market for innovative forms of transport and encourage a move to cleaner and lower carbon vehicles.

Helicopters: Noise

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on implementing the proposal in the Aviation Policy Framework to ensure that the Civil Aviation Authority considers opportunities to mitigate helicopter noise when dealing with any relevant airspace change proposals when updating guidance on environmental objectives.

Mr John Hayes: The Department for Transport (DfT) issued Air Navigation Guidance to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in 2014 which included consideration of helicopter noise. DfT will also be consulting on new Guidance to the CAA in due course, to accompany its review of airspace and noise policies.

Helicopters: Greater London

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the commitment in the Aviation Policy Framework to monitor the effect of helicopter movements in London, what information has been collected since the publication of that framework on the effect of such movements; and what steps he is taking to make such data available to the public.

Mr John Hayes: The CAA publishes data for helicopter operations within the London (Heathrow) and London City Control Zones (CTRs) at the link below:http://www.caa.co.uk/Data-and-analysis/Airspace-and-environment/Airspace/London-helicopter-operations/ This data is all available to the public and includes the following information, broken down on a daily basis from 2007 to the present:Total daily number of helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRsTotal daily number of helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRs between 001 and 0559; 0600 and 1259; 1300 and 1959; 2000 and 2400. All times UTC (GMT)Total daily number of single engined helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRs.Total daily number of twin engined helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRs (includes Police and HEMS flights).Total daily number of helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRs that operated on one or more designated helicopter routes.Total daily number of helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRs that operated on route H4 (along Thames between Barnes and Isle of Dogs).Total daily number of twin engined helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRs that routed direct (not along any designated helicopter route).Total daily number of twin engined Police helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRs.Total daily number of twin engined HEMS helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRs.Total daily number of helicopter flights recorded within the London Heathrow and London City CTRs as arriving and departing the London heliport at Battersea. There are also annual summaries of helicopter movements dating back to 2007.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Natural Gas: Billing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if the Government will press companies to set up compensation schemes to be used in the event that they overcharge customers as a result of inaccurate gas readings.

Jesse Norman: It is for the regulator, Ofgem, to regulate the industry to ensure consumer receive accurate bills.Following the publication of an open letter by Ofgem, the trade association Energy UK has estimated that 11,000 customers (less than 0.05% of the total 23 million gas accounts in the UK) were charged the wrong amount for their gas usage, owing to the incorrect recording of imperial and metric meters.Customers affected by these errors will not have to take any action and will be contacted directly by their supplier, who will repay any overcharging (including an appropriate interest payment). Energy suppliers will not seek repayment from those customers who have been undercharged and where, appropriate, could offer support to financially vulnerable customers to ease the transition to accurate bills.The Ofgem open letter is available online at: www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/open-letter-gas-suppliers-metricimperial-indicator-charging-error

Companies: Disclosure of Information

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Financial Reporting Council's operating and enforcement procedures for reviewing corporate disclosures in deterring companies from breaking the law on such disclosures.

Margot James: The government consulted on its plans to reform the structure and content of the non-financial (narrative) section of the annual report and accounts in 2011. As part of this consultation, the government asked about the remit of the Financial Reporting Council, especially the Financial Reporting Review Panel, now known as the Conduct Committee.As part of their work to monitor compliance with the legal requirements concerning disclosure, the Conduct Committee publishes an annual report summarising the activity and findings of their review function. This annual activity report can be viewed from the FRC website:https://www.frc.org.uk/Our-Work/Corporate-Governance-Reporting/Corporate-Reporting-Review/Annual-activity-reports.aspx

Companies: Disclosure of Information

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ensure that the Financial Reporting Council has in place adequate processes to monitor disclosure on climate-related risk.

Margot James: Companies are required to prepare an annual report. As part of this, companies are required to make disclosure on environmental matters containing information necessary for their shareholders to gain a proper understanding of the company’s business, including the principal risks faced by the company during the company’s previous financial year.With their knowledge of the company, it is the directors who are best placed to assess the quality of any disclosure relating to climate change. In addition, shareholders can challenge any disclosure or its absence, including those relating to climate change, either at a meeting with the board or at the company’s Annual General Meeting, should they feel this is a key risk that needs to be addressed.

Fuels: Prices

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will bring forward proposals to establish an independent body to monitor fuel pricing.

Jesse Norman: Holding answer received on 10 October 2016



The Government believes that it is essential that consumers get a fair deal and that falls in oil prices are passed on to lower retail prices.The Department regularly meets retailers and their representatives, and closely monitors pump prices, publishing data regularly https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/oil-and-petroleum-products-weekly-statistics.We do not believe that an independent body to monitor fuel pricing is necessary.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with other members of the International Syria Support Group on reports by the UN that forces loyal to President Assad have blocked aid convoys from entering East Aleppo.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​The UK has consistently called within the ISSG, UN and other international fora for unimpeded humanitarian access to all of Syria. It is abhorrent and illegal to use starvation as a weapon of war, yet the Asad regime continues to block humanitarian access as part of his "starve or surrender" tactics. Almost 600,000 people are living under siege in Aleppo and elsewhere in the country. A further 4.6 million are living in areas where humanitarian access is extremely restricted.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of whether British arms exports are being used for political repression against Shia dissidents within Saudi Arabia.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Each licence application for Saudi Arabia is carefully scrutinised against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria to ensure the exports are compatible with our national and international obligations. Risks around human rights violations are a key part of our assessment against the Consolidated Criteria. We have robust procedures in place and we do not export equipment where we assess there is a clear risk that it might be used for internal repression. This system of export licensing promotes the UK's prosperity by supporting responsible exports that meet the legitimate defence and security needs of other states, whilst refusing licenses of exports where to do so would be in breach of our legal obligations.We will not pursue trade to the exclusion of human rights. They can and should be complementary.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which UK officials were present at discussions on the peace process in Syria between the US and Russia.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​Discussions to re-establish a nationwide Cessation of Hostilities have been led bilaterally between the US and Russia as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG). The UK participates in full meetings of the ISSG as well as through our Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on recent discussions on the peace process in Syria between Russia and the US.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), discusses Syria regularly with US Secretary of State John Kerry. Both the Foreign Secretary and US Secretary of State Kerry attended International Syria Support Group meetings on 20 and 23 September in New York. The Foreign Secretary and Secretary Kerry met again, along with their French, German, Italian and EEAS counterparts, to discuss Syria in Boston on 24 September. The conflict in Syria was discussed at the UN Security Council on 17, 21 and 25 September.

Yemen: Foreign  and Commonwealth Office

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff of his Department work on (a) the Yemen Desk and directly on Yemen and (b) all matters which directly or indirectly relate to Yemen.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: It is not possible to identify a precise figure for full time equivalent staff working on Yemen directly and indirectly because a range of staff are involved across various Foreign and Commonwealth Office departments and the proportion of their time devoted varies depending on need. That said, the UK remains committed to de-escalating the conflict by encouraging all parties to participate in negotiations to find a peaceful solution, as well as working with other government departments to address Yemen's urgent humanitarian and economic needs and reduce the terrorist threat emanating from Yemen.

Yemen: Foreign  and Commonwealth Office

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff of his Department are deployed outside the UK working on issues relating to Yemen.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: It is not possible to identify a precise figure for staff working on Yemen who are deployed outside of the UK, but the UK diplomatic network does regularly raise the situation in Yemen with their host government and other interlocutors, including the devastating humanitarian and economic situation. As the penholder in the UN Security Council on Yemen, the UK also plays an important role in rallying the international community behind the efforts of the UN Special Envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, in trying to reach a peaceful agreement between the Yemeni parties. Peace talks remain a top priority and we will continue to engage with key partners through our overseas network.

Yemen: Politics and Government

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings have taken place between Ministers of his Department and Ministers of governments which support the current government of Yemen since January 2016; and in how many such meetings was the civil war in Yemen discussed.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: As set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2216, President Hadi and his government are the legitimate authority in Yemen, and the UK regularly discusses the situation in Yemen with international partners including at Ministerial level. Most recently during the UN General Assembly week in New York, I hosted two meetings on Yemen which involved Gulf Foreign Ministers, the US and the UN Special Envoy for Yemen. The UK remains committed to finding a political resolution to the current conflict and to foster peace and stability for all Yemenis.

Yemen: Peace Negotiations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK Government staff are seconded to or directly assist the UK Special Envoy to Yemen and his team.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: No UK Government staff are seconded to or directly assist the UK Special Envoy to Yemen and his team. Through the cross-government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, we are providing £1.05 million to the UN Special Envoy's office to bolster UN capacity to facilitate the peace process, and are also supporting work to broaden the dialogue to include women and other under-represented groups.

Yemen: Peace Negotiations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK Government staff were present at the UN-sponsored Yemeni peace talks in Kuwait in August 2016.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK fully supports the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, and his tireless efforts in working with all parties to bring about peace in Yemen. We deeply regret the failure of the parties to reach an agreement in Kuwait and we urge them to find the compromises that will end the current conflict. Our Ambassador to Yemen and other personnel were present at the Kuwait talks, however the Ambassador and other members of the international community did not participate directly in the talks.

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that organisations providing humanitarian relief in (a) Madaya, (b) Daraya and (c) Aleppo have unimpeded access to the children in those areas.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK continues to call for full and sustained cease fire and humanitarian access to all besieged and hard-to-reach areas across Syria.The town of Madaya was reached on 25 September by a UN interagency convoy which delivered a range of desperately needed aid. This was the first convoy to reach Madaya since 30 April.The town of Daraya is now in regime hands and much of the population has been evacuated. The Assad Regime and its backers must ensure the protection of all of Daraya's inhabitants and that opposition fighters are treated in accordance with international humanitarian law.The situation in Aleppo is atrocious as a result of increased bombardment by the regime and its backers in recent weeks, as well as a block on all humanitarian supplies. Fresh water supplies have also been cut off. The UK is working urgently with our international partners to pressure the regime and its backers to end the siege of Aleppo.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government plans to appoint a new Special Envoy to (a) Yemen and (b) Oman.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: There are no current plans to appoint a new special envoy.

Yemen: Armed Conflict

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which of the recommendations made by the APPG for Yemen in its report, Conflict in Yemen, the forgotten crisis, published in October 2015 have been adopted by his Department.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We welcomed the report and share the APPG's concern about the serious humanitarian crisis in Yemen. A political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the conflict. The UK continues to strongly support the work of UN Special Envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, and his tireless efforts in working with all parties to bring about peace in Yemen. The UK has continued to engage including at senior levels in support of the UN Special Envoy's work. Along with my US, Saudi Arabian and Emirati counterparts, we released a Communiqué calling for an immediate return to the Cessation of Hostilities after meetings held on 21 September at the United Nations General Assembly.We are aware of reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by actors in the conflict and take these very seriously. It is important that all sides conduct thorough and conclusive investigations into incidents where it is alleged that IHL has been breached. We regularly raise the importance of compliance with IHL with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the military Coalition. Saudi Arabia has publicly stated that it is investigating reports of alleged violations of IHL, and that lessons will be acted upon. We have also raised our concerns with the Houthis on the importance of compliance with IHL.

Egypt: Demonstrations

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to bring about an international commission into the killings in Rabaa in June 2013.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Egyptian Government under Interim President Adly Mansour established a National Fact Finding Committee in 2013 to investigate the events following President Morsi's removal. Their mandate was to examine these events and their implications, issue recommendations, review existing legal cases, and on the basis of evidence collected, establish whether additional legal action was warranted.A 57-page executive summary of its conclusions was released in December 2014. The conclusions included recommendations for the police, educational institutions, the legislature, investigative authorities and the media. Since the publication of the summary of the Fact-Finding Committee's report, the UK has encouraged the Egyptian Government to release the report in full, and has stressed the importance of accountability for the deaths that took place during the clearances. This remains our policy.

Egypt: Demonstrations

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with officials of the Egyptian government on the killings in Rabaa in June 2013.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK Government was deeply concerned by the clearance of the sit-ins on 14 August 2013, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of protestors and a number of police officers. We raised our concerns with the Egyptian Government at the highest levels, as well as in the EU Foreign Affairs Council and the United Nations Human Rights Council. The then Foreign Secretary, Lord Hague of Richmond, issued a statement at the time of the violence, in which he condemned the use of force in clearing protests in Egypt and called on the security forces to act with restraint. I personally raised this issue with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on 9 September 2015.

Iraq: Islamic State

Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the US in respect of coalition obligations to exclude from forces preparing to expel Daesh from Mosul any militias which are assessed as lacking respect for (a) human rights and (b) the laws of war; and what assessment he has made in such regards of the Shiite militia Hashd al-Shaabi.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The coalition goal is to liberate Mosul by expelling Daesh in a way that minimises the humanitarian impact, civilian casualties and human rights abuses and violations. We have spoken to Coalition partners, including the US and the Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government, and have made clear that forces taking Mosul need to respect human rights and laws of armed conflict. All training provided by the UK includes Law of Armed Conflict training and an awareness of human rights.Ultimately the forces used will be determined by the Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government. The Coalition however will not support units which it has concerns about, including certain Shia militia units.

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to (a) help strengthen and lengthen the recently announced ceasefire in Syria and (b) ensure that humanitarian access in that area remains practicable.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson),welcomed the restored Cessation of Hostilities which began on 12 September. The key components of this Cessation were an end to attacks on civilians and moderate groups, and full humanitarian access across Syria.However, the Cessation of Hostilities was eroded and discredited by regime violations and has now broken down. We are seeing some of the worst violence of the conflict in the appalling, indiscriminate bombardment of Aleppo.The UK will continue to work with our partners to keep the focus on what is happening, to call for the Cessation of Hostilities to be restored – with full humanitarian access - to allow the resumption of a political process. Political transition away from Asad is the only long-term solution.

South Sudan: Arms Trade

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy of the UN Secretary-General's statement of 11 July 2016 on events in South Sudan; and whether the Government supports calls for an arms embargo to that country and the strengthening of the UN mission in South Sudan in the light of its response to those events.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We welcomed the statement made by the UN Secretary-General on the situation in South Sudan. Our policy continues to be focussed on helping to protect the people of South Sudan and we are in support of an arms embargo as a means to support this. We lobbied hard to strengthen the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and supported UN Security Council Resolution 2304, adopted on 12 August, which mandated a regional protection force of up to 4000 additional troops to robustly protect civilians and key humanitarian transit routes in Juba. In addition, the Secretary of State for Defence, Rt Hon the member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon) announced on 8 September that the number of UK troops to be deployed within UNMISS will be increased to close to 400 in order to support the mission's operations.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Malaria

Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) policy his Department follows and (b) advice his Department gives to staff travelling to malarial regions regarding the use of Lariam as an anti-malarial drug; and what records his Department holds on the number of times (i) Lariam and (ii) alternative anti-malarial drugs have been prescribed to staff in his Department in the last three years.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) follows guidance from the UK Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention (ACMP). The FCO provides medical advice to staff travelling to malarial regions on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors such as the age of the officer concerned, location and duration of stay. This might in some instances result in an officer being advised to take mefloquine (larium), but no officer is forced to do so. Any staff with concerns are encouraged to discuss with the FCO Healthline or their Regional Medical Advisor, as well as with their local clinic of healthcare provider. The FCO does not hold records on the numbers of staff prescribed mefloquine (larium) and alternative anti-malarial drugs.

Department for Education

Education

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of children aged 11 to 16 are educated at (a) selective state-maintained schools, (b) non-selective state-maintained comprehensive and academy schools, (c) independent fee-paying schools and (d) other educational settings in (i) the UK, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland.

Nick Gibb: The number and proportion of pupils aged 11-16 in selective state-funded schools, non-selective state-funded secondary schools, independent schools and other settings in England are given in the table below. The Department does not hold this information for Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and therefore cannot provide these figures or a UK figure.Type of EstablishmentNumber of pupils aged 11-16 (1)Proportion of TotalState-funded selective schools117,3103.9%State-funded non-selective secondary schools2,569,44486.2%Independent Schools (2)226,8787.6%All other educational settings (3)66,4982.2%(1) Includes sole and dual main registered pupils, as at January 2016.(2) Not all independent schools charge all pupils fees, but it is not possible to group only the fee-paying independent schools together here.(3) Includes state-funded primary schools, state-funded special schools, non-maintained special schools, general hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision academies and free schools.

Ministry of Justice

Telecommunications: Abuse

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of offences under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 in each of the last five years.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The information requested can be found on GOV.UK.

Crime: Victims

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to publish a green paper on the case for a victims' law for consultation during this parliamentary session.

Dr Phillip Lee: Victims deserve the best possible support to help them cope with what they have been through and recover as much as possible. We have protected the victims' budget and given PCCs the flexibility to decide which services are needed in their local area. Under the revised Victims' Code, victims of all criminal offences are now entitled to support from a wide range of organisations. But we know there is more to do, which is why we have committed to introduce measures to increase further the rights of victims. It is important that we take the time to get this right and we will announce our plans in due course.

Security

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what prisons and security-related sales and services the UK is (a) contracted to provide and (b) planning to provide to other countries in (i) 2017, (ii) 2018 and (iii) 2019.

Mr Sam Gyimah: As has been announced previously we want the Ministry of Justice to focus firmly on its domestic reform programmes. NOMS continues to be committed to supporting international cross government priorities but does not provide commercial services to other jurisdictions, and has no plans to do so in the future. The National Offender Management Service can provide foreign jurisdictions access to a range of information covered by Crown Copyright, including accredited programmes and related assessments and training where there is no, or minimal impact upon resources. This material is delivered in return for a fee, under a licence agreement. The fee is charged on the basis of cost recovery only.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Cultural Heritage

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential benefits of the UK taking part in the European Year of Cultural Heritage proposed for 2018 by the European Commission for her Department's objectives set out in the Culture White Paper, published in March 2016 ; what assessment she has made of the implications of the outcome of the EU referendum on UK participation in that event; and if she will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch: Our rich cultural heritage makes the UK a great place to live and attracts millions of visitors each year. In the White Paper we committed to ensuring we continue to celebrate our heritage and make sure we can pass on something even more inspirational to future generations. Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period, we will continue to participate in EU initiatives, and the European Year of Cultural Heritage is a potential opportunity to showcase UK heritage. We will continue to work with the heritage sector to determine the nature of our involvement.

Football

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has made to the Football League and the Premier League on whether the Fit and Proper Person Test they use is appropriate and effective; and if she will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch: I have regular meetings with the Leagues, and have discussed the Owners and Directors Test (formerly Fit and Proper Persons Test) with them. The test exists to protect clubs from individuals who fall within the disqualifying criteria, and I am pleased that The Football Association, The Premier League and the English Football League have committed to keeping it under constant review so that it is achieving its intended purpose. This commitment is set out in the report by the Government's Expert Working Group on Supporter Ownership and Engagement published earlier this year.

Football

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received from football supporters clubs in England and Wales on whether the Fit and Proper Person Test used by the Football League and Premier League is appropriate and effective; and if she will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch: Any concerns to my Department (DCMS) regarding football's rules and regulations, including the application of the Owners and Directors Test (formerly Fit and Proper Persons Test) are referred to the Football Association or Leagues. It is however worth noting that as well as a commitment to keep the Test under constant review, the Football Authorities have also said they will meet with supporter representative groups to listen to any concerns they have over current or prospective owners. The intention is set out in the Government Expert Work Group's report on Football Supporter Ownership and Engagement.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flood Control: Preston

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to identify properties in Preston that are vulnerable to flooding; and what (a) funding has been allocated and (b) work is being done to protect such properties.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Environment Agency has undertaken detailed flood modelling for the Preston area and properties at flood risk are shown on the Environment Agency’s flood map (available on GOV.UK), additional modelling to refine this after the December 2015 flooding is ongoing and expected to be completed in early 2017. The full cost of a flood defence scheme for the Preston and South Ribble area is £32 million. The Government has allocated £17 million in the current flood risk capital programme to this scheme. The Environment Agency is currently working with partners to explore opportunities to secure an additional £15 million, to address the remaining shortfall. The scheme is scheduled to commence in 2019 and will provide new and improved defences which will reduce flood risk to 3000 residential and 600 commercial properties. The new Preston and South Ribble flood risk scheme is the main focus of the work that is being done to protect property. However, a number of smaller projects were also completed after the December 2015 flood events including repairs to flood walls at Walton-le-Dale, removal of a fallen tree and repairs to defences at Broadgate and repairs to defences at the Capitol Centre.

Home Office

World War II: Compensation

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government's policy is on providing compensation to people whose parents were mistreated whilst interned in Britain during the Second World War.

Mr Robert Goodwill: It is not possible to provide an answer to this question as to do so would exceed the cost limit. This is not part of the Home Office current policy portfolio and will require in-depth archive research by officials to provide an accurate and comprehensive response, diverting resources from current and existing priorities.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Canada

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when he plans to lay the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada before Parliament.

Greg Hands: The EU Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will be laid before Parliament in due course.

Trade Agreements

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether it is the Government's position that the UK can sign new trade deals before the UK has formally exited the EU.

Greg Hands: The UK will remain a member of the EU until we formally exit, with all of the rights and obligations that membership entails. This means that the EU currently retains competence for most aspects of trade policy. We are, however, engaging with a broad range of international partners to best promote British trade, and to ensure that Britain becomes the global leader in free trade once we leave the EU.

Department of Health

Genito-urinary Medicine

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to update the national strategy for sexual health and HIV, published in July 2001.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department’s A Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England was published in March 2013 and sets out the Government’s ambitions to improve sexual health outcomes and what is needed to deliver good sexual health services. The following year Public Health England published Making it Work, a guide to commissioning for sexual health across the whole system, to improve the sexual health of both individuals and the wider public.

Abortion: Lancashire

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions (a) overall and (b) in cases where Down's syndrome had been identified were carried out at each (i) NHS hospital, (ii) clinic and (iii) surgery in Lancashire in 2015.

Nicola Blackwood: Abortions in England and Wales are performed in National Health Service hospitals and in registered clinics only. Numbers of Down’s syndrome cases are too small to release by hospital so a total for all Lancashire hospitals has been provided.Total abortions performed in Lancashire hospitals, and those with a primary diagnosis of Down’s syndrome, residents of England and Wales, 2015  Total abortionsNHS Hospital  Blackpool Pregnancy Advisory Service211 Blackpool Victoria Hospital30 Ormskirk and District General Hospital391 Royal Lancaster Infirmary229 Royal Preston Hospital30Independent Clinic  Marie Stopes International Preston Centre647 Marie Stopes International Whitegate Health Centre480Other Lancashire Hospitals4Total2,022 Of the abortions performed at Lancashire Hospitals, six were recorded as being performed because of Down’s syndrome in the fetus.

Genito-urinary Medicine: Lancashire

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which (a) NHS hospitals, (b) clinics and (c) surgeries in Lancashire have treated sexually transmitted diseases; and how many people were treated at each such institution in 2015.

Nicola Blackwood: There were 1,773 new sexually transmitted infection diagnoses made at three genitourinary medicine clinics (GUM) in Lancashire in 2015: St. Peter’s Health Centre (44.8%), Royal Preston Hospital (35.5%) and Ashton Community Care Centre (19.7%).There is no data on the number of people treated, as GUM clinics provide treatment whenever it is clinically indicated and, therefore, are not required to specifically report the number of cases treated.Data are provided by the GUM clinics through their returns to the genitourinary medicine clinic activity dataset (GUMCADv2) held by Public Health England (not the hospitals). Data from general practice surgeries are not available.

Obesity: Children

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department plans to monitor and assess the progress of the roll-out of his Department's Childhood Obesity Plan for Action in England.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what type of support his Department plans to provide for initiatives mentioned as best practice in the Childhood Obesity Plan in its roll-out in England.

Nicola Blackwood: We will measure progress annually through the National Child Measurement Programme and Health Survey for England. We are confident that the measures we have announced will make a real difference and estimate could reduce childhood obesity rates by about a fifth (330,000) over the next 10 years and the assessment of reformulation progress by food manufacturers will be undertaken independently by Public Health England. Moreover, if we do not see the desired progress then the Government does not rule out taking further measures.We will continue to work with the National Health Service, local authorities and other partners to deliver the proposals in our plan. For example, we are doubling the Primary PE and Sport Premium to £320 million from September 2017 and we will continue to fund a number of areas to support the plan’s ambitions including healthy start vouchers which gives healthy food support to the families that need it most. Alongside this, local authorities will receive over £16 billion to spend on public health over the next five years. We are confident they will want to prioritise action to tackle obesity according to local need.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust: Hygiene

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to improve cleanliness in hospital wards within the NHS Mid-Yorkshire Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: These are matters for Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

NHS: Complaints

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints NHS England has responded to outside of the 12 month statutory limit for the period in which complaints can be made in each year from 2010 to 2016.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 do not place a duty on individual organisations to collect these data; and therefore they are not collected centrally.There would be a disproportionate cost to provide data in this format, which could in any case only be provided from 1 April 2013 when NHS England was established.

Junior Doctors: Disclosure of Information

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government has agreed additional protections with the British Medical Association to protect junior doctors who are whistleblowers.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Government has listened to the British Medical Association’s (BMA) concerns that junior doctors are in a unique position and need greater whistleblowing protections, and it has taken action. The BMA, NHS Employers and Health Education England (HEE) have agreed changes to strengthen whistleblowing protections for junior doctors beyond the scope of existing legislation so that junior doctors can take legal action against HEE, in relation to whistleblowing, as if HEE was their employer.

Junior Doctors: Industrial Disputes

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on patient care of junior doctors taking five days of strike action per month until the end of 2016.

Mr Philip Dunne: We were encouraged by the British Medical Association’s (BMA) announcement that it is suspending the rolling programme of five continuous days of industrial action from October to December, which it had previously announced and which would have removed urgent and emergency care from some of our most vulnerable patients.We have urged the BMA to remove all threat of further industrial action so we can work constructively with junior doctors to address their wider concerns and better recognise their vital importance to the National Health Service.Prior to the BMA’s announcement, NHS England, working with NHS organisations, had assessed the impact of the industrial action on cancelled operations and outpatient services and had developed plans to mitigate the impact of the industrial action.Had the BMA continued with their proposed industrial action, based on the levels of disruption during the previous two day all out strike, an initial estimate was that around 25,000 operations and 250,000 outpatient appointments would be cancelled during each five day strike period.

NHS: Industrial Action

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which NHS trades unions have taken strike action resulting in the withdrawal of emergency services.

Mr Philip Dunne: In their industrial action that took place on 26-27 April the British Medical Association withdrew the whole of the junior doctor workforce (the group involved in the trade dispute) from providing emergency care. No other trade union has taken such action in withdrawing the whole workforce covered by the trade dispute when they provide emergency care. For example when other National Health Service trade unions took action in 2015, the Royal College of Midwives asked its members in those services to continue working to ensure essential services were maintained rather than expecting senior midwives or obstetricians to provide cover.

Junior Doctors: Contracts

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times the Junior Doctors' Committee of the British Medical Association has (a) left negotiations already in progress and (b) refused written requests to return to negotiations on the proposed junior doctors' contract since any negotiations on that proposed contract began.

Mr Philip Dunne: The British Medical Association (BMA) Junior Doctors Committee walked away from negotiations twice. The first time was after almost a year of negotiations on 16 October 2014. The second time was on 4 January 2016 during negotiations following an agreement at ACAS. Ministers wrote to the BMA on a number of occasions – four of these letters, between July and November 2015, were explicit requests to enter negotiations. The BMA refused on each occasion.

Junior Doctors: Contracts

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many amendments to the proposed junior doctors' contract the (a) British Medical Association and (b) management side accepted during negotiations on the November 2015 contract offer.

Mr Philip Dunne: The British Medical Association (BMA) have made five concessions overall. The management side have made 107 concessions overall. These concessions included a number of substantial shifts of position to meet concerns expressed by the BMA including for instance increasing the additional pay received for working at weekends.(a) The BMA made one concession in relation to the November 2015 offer during the initial ACAS talks, before the commencement of negotiations which ended in February 2016 with no agreement. This was to accept a move from incremental progression to a nodal pay system.They made further concessions (including in relation to the March 2016 contract), in the agreement reached in May 2016. These were:(i) Agreement to the extension of plain-time working by two hours per day, with a system of weekend allowances based on the frequency of weekend working for those working more than six weekends a year;(ii) Accepting the principle of fidelity to the National Health Service, offering locum work at an agreed hourly rate;(iii) Agreeing a change to the March 2016 contract to reduce from 48 to 46 hours rest period after consecutive night shifts, amended to improve work life balance and continuity of care; and(iv) Agreeing to remove the rule in the March 2016 contract preventing consecutive weekend working – while retaining a rule that the frequency of weekend working can be no more than 1 in 2 weekends – to allow greater flexibility for doctors and employers.(b) The November 2015 offer itself had included two concessions in relation to the recommendations made by the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration. In the ACAS agreement, the BMA accepted this November offer as the basis for negotiations. The management side then made a further 105 concessions: four during ACAS talks, 61 during negotiations that ended in February 2016, six after those negotiations ended, and 34 during negotiations in May 2016.

Everolimus

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has had discussions with NICE on the Afinitor form of everolimus.

Nicola Blackwood: Departmental officials are in regular contact with their counterparts at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) about a range of issues, including individual medicines. This includes discussions on everolimus through the established topic selection processes for NICE’s technology appraisal programme and in relation to potential patient access schemes proposed by the manufacturer. NICE has appraised everolimus for a number of indications and is currently appraising it for others.

Medical Treatments

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what reviews his Department has conducted into the NICE technology appraisal process (a) in general and (b) related to cancer medicines between 1999 and 2016.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department has not conducted any reviews of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) technology appraisal process. NICE is an independent body and is responsible for its own processes and methodology.NICE periodically reviews its processes and methodologies to ensure that they remain appropriate, most recently as part of the introduction of the new arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund. NICE has demonstrated its ability to adapt to changes in the health and care environment, and we expect it will continue to evolve in the future.In addition, the Accelerated Access Review’s full report and recommendations on ways to get patients wider access to innovative and effective drugs is expected shortly.

Breast Cancer: Drugs

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when NICE last approved a breast cancer medicine for routine use on the NHS through the technology appraisal process.

Nicola Blackwood: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has confirmed that the last piece of technology appraisal guidance recommending a breast cancer drug was on gemcitabine for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (TA116), published in January 2007.A number of drugs for the treatment of breast cancer have been made available through the Cancer Drugs Fund since it was established in 2010. The Fund has now helped 95,000 people in accessing life-extending cancer drugs that would not otherwise have been available to them.

Strokes

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for replacing or renewing the National Stroke Strategy when it expires in 2017.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms his Department has for measuring the effectiveness of the National Stroke Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

David Mowat: The National Stroke Strategy remains valid and implementation of it continues. There are, therefore, no current plans to renew the national stroke strategy. Action is being taken to ensure the progress made on stroke continues. This includes;- publication of the Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Outcomes Strategy in 2013, which includes many stroke specific strategic ambitions;- a CVD expert forum, hosted by NHS England, to coordinate delivery of the work which was initiated in the CVD Outcomes Strategy; and- NHS England’s National Clinical Director for stroke working with the Strategic Clinical Networks, Urgent and Emergency Care Networks, clinical commissioning groups, Sustainability and Transformation Plans, voluntary agencies and individual providers to support better commissioning and provision of stroke care.More generally, the NHS Five Year Forward View recognises that quality of care, including stroke care, can be variable and that patients’ needs are changing and new treatment options are emerging. The Five Year Forward View sets out high level objectives to address these issues.There has been no formal evaluation of the National Stroke Strategy. However there is a continuous evaluation of the quality of stroke care via the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP). This measures most of the key indicators defined as important in the strategy and findings are available on the SSNAP website:https://www.strokeaudit.org/

Clinical Commissioning Groups: Nottinghamshire

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the forecast size of the financial deficit of (a) Nottingham City, (b) Nottingham West, (c) Nottingham North and East and (d) Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group in 2021.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the difference between available funding and the cost of providing NHS services in (a) Nottingham City, (b) Nottingham West, (c) Nottingham North and East and (d) Rushcliffe clinical commissioning groups.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Department has made no estimate of the size of the financial deficit of Nottingham City, Nottingham West, Nottingham North and East and Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in 2021. NHS England advises that the four CCGs are forecasting an overall surplus for the 2016-17 financial year.Every health and care system in England is producing a multi-year Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), showing how local services will evolve and become sustainable over the next five years – ultimately delivering the Five Year Forward View vision of better health, better patient care and improved National Health Service efficiency.The national health and care bodies expect the Nottinghamshire STP to articulate clearly the scale of the future financial challenge at STP level and how local commissioners and providers plan to respond. The overall financial challenge articulated in the STP will include consideration of the resources required by the NHS in Nottinghamshire, and the resources likely to be allocated in future years.

NHS: Sustainable Development

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the sustainability and transformation plan for Nottinghamshire.

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans for South East London.

David Mowat: Local areas will submit their plans to the national health and care bodies for review in October, with further public engagement and consultation taking place from this point.We expect that most areas will take a version of their Sustainability and Transformation Plan to their organisation’s public board meeting for discussion between late October and the end of the year. We would also expect that most areas will publish their plans, for more formal engagement, during this period, building on the engagement they have already done to shape thinking. No changes to the services people currently receive will be made without local engagement and, where required, consultation.NHS England, with other national health and care bodies, released guidance to the local areas developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans entitled ‘Engaging local people’ in September 2016 which can be found on their website.

Darlington Memorial Hospital

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on the Better Health Programme and predecessor programmes examining the future configuration at Darlington Memorial Hospital to date.

Mr Philip Dunne: Funding for this programme is the responsibility of local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).The Better Health Programme, previously Securing Quality in Hospital Services, has been funded by five CCGs (Darlington; North Durham; Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield; Hartlepool and Stockton; South Tees). Final annual costs for each year are in the table.Table: Final annual costs for the Better Health Programme YearFinal costs (£)2013/14 (Securing Quality in Hospital Services)555,8752014/15 (Securing Quality in Hospital Services)425,7482015/16 (Better Health Programme)580,0002016/17 (Better Health Programme) 13,100,0001 Planned cost for the full year. The increase is primarily due to additional costs for financial modelling of options, stakeholder communications and engagement and overall programme management.

Community Care: Standards

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS England in achieving high quality community care for all.

David Mowat: Patients rightly expect the highest quality of care from all health and care services they access.The Care Quality Commission registers and inspects community care providers and community trusts to ensure that they follow a set of fundamental standards of safety and quality below which care should never fall.The trends in patient satisfaction for community services are tracked and reported monthly through the Friends and Family Test (FFT). The FFT is an important tool that gives patients the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience and helps the National Health Service to drive improvement in the services it provides.The latest FFT Results from July 2016 showed that 95% of respondents would recommend the services they have used in community services settings.

In Vitro Fertilisation: Finance

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage clinical commissioning groups to abide in full by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on funding in vitro fertilisation.

Nicola Blackwood: Clinical commissioning groups have a legal duty to have regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. As such, NHS England expects that all those involved in commissioning infertility treatment services to be fully aware of the importance of having regard to the NICE fertility guidelines.Representatives from NHS England, the British Fertility Society and Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are looking at how commissioning of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) services could be improved. Commissioning of IVF will remain a local decision but there may be scope to improve the quality of commissioning through, for example, the development of a benchmark price that the National Health Service pays for infertility treatments and by encouraging the adoption of best practice when making clinical decisions.

Maternity Services

Rishi Sunak: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the safety of maternity care.

Mr Philip Dunne: In November 2015, the Department announced an ambitious campaign to halve the national rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth, by 2030.The Government has already invested in a capital fund for equipment to improve safety and training programmes for staff.

Care Quality Commission

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the performance of the Care Quality Commission in monitoring GP surgeries; and if he will make a statement.

David Mowat: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for assessing whether providers are meeting the fundamental standards.The Department monitors CQC’s financial and operational performance and risks at a general and strategic level through regular formal accountability meetings.It does not assess CQC’s inspection or monitoring of specific providers.

Obesity: Children

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to implement his Department's plans on childhood obesity.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department is confident our world leading plan, Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action, will make a real difference to obesity rates in this country.The Government is currently consulting on the soft drinks industry levy and a broad sugar reduction programme has been launched.The Department will continue to work with the National Health Service, local authorities and other partners as we move into the delivery phase of the plan.

Mental Health Services

Seema Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on implementing the recommendations of the independent Mental Health Taskforce set out in the Five Year Forward View of February 2016.

Mr Jeremy Hunt: An implementation plan for the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health was published in July which will see Mental Health spending increase by £1billion by 2020.

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patient episodes there were within the Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust in (a) 2005, (b) 2010 and (c) 2015.

David Mowat: In 2004-05, there were 71,300 admitted patient finished consultant episodes at Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, compared to 82,267 in 2009-10 and 90,659 in 2014-15.The number of outpatient attendances has also risen, with 168,412 in 2004-05; 217,735 in 2009-10; and 274,614 in 2014-15.In 2004-05, there were 68,650 Accident & Emergency attendances, compared to 85,971 in 2009-10. This number fell in 2014-15 to 76,452 attendances.